From Above
by rainonmonday
Summary: What happens when the life you knew changes? He has no anger left in him and nothing to fight against.


**Playing a little with ideas. Just a little thing that I'm sure is not as good as it could be. Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**_From Above_**

It was meant to happen. Obviously he's a guy without much luck and he accepted that a long time ago. He's not smart or rich – he has heart and courage but beyond that he doesn't have much more except attitude and a sharp tongue.

After everything ended, things looked bright and a future was possible. No more Kaijus to fight. But without that, he lost a big part of who he was. Never before he had done more than fighting because it gave his life a purpose but now, he was not a soldier or a fighter. He didn't take orders because he didn't believe in authority. Survival of the fittest was his motto, and so far he had been the victorious one.

For a while after the end of war, he enjoyed his time with Mako. She was everything he was not - respectful and smart, sweet and shy. In his head her memories floated freely just like his in hers. There wasn't much they didn't know about each other and they reached that point in which it became a double-edged sword.

He went back to working in construction after the whole commotion about the defeat of aliens wore out. People forgot quickly and it was a sad moment for him, knowing all those brave men and women who gave their lives for the world only to be forgotten not long after. He never forgot about Yancy and the others who fought by his side.

He sighs and runs a hand over his hair, tousling it.

Unlike him, Mako went back to work an international organization as an advisor. She was important and with a voice full of experience and wisdom, raised to be a strong woman by a father who was not only a hero but an outstanding soldier and incorruptible man who fought the system and won. She was Stacker's heir.

And here he is, working as a welder on top of a building.

Needless to say, living in that bubble didn't last long for them.

He is a simple man and she is a very busy woman. That doesn't mean he stopped having… _feelings_ for her. He's grateful because she awoke his heart after being rendered useless when Yancy was taken away from him. She made him feel alive and turned the bitter old him into a more hopeful guy.

Still, he has that feeling in the back of his head – he calls it a hunch – that the last war wasn't the last of them all. He just wishes he is wrong but no matter what, he knows that if Mako calls, he will answer.

"Raleigh?"

He has just lifted his helmet to put his things away and finish his shift when the girl in the heavy uniform calls his name. She looks like she's drowning in her overall but she's doing what she can. Since the war has ended, most jobs are for reconstruction of big cities and new buildings and she's one of the few who dares to climb high and face danger just for a few more dollars.

He acknowledges her with a nod.

"Are you going with the guys now, to have a beer?" she stutters, tucking her long brown hair behind her ear in nervous fashion.

Imara is young but brave. Still, she has no idea what he's been through and yet she has a crush on him. He has noticed it but can't do anything about it – he won't break her heart by discouraging her and telling her he's still hung up on someone else and he won't use her either.

"Sure," he mutters, smiling.

She grins and her pale skin blushes, something she tries but fails to conceal.

Looking at her, he thinks about the scars war has left not only in the cities but on the ones who survived. His he can hide under his clothes but Imara's right eye is discolored due to an accident while she was a child, escaping from the city with her family. Her sight has been diminished a little but that's not the worst - she has been constantly mocked about her dark brown eye and the greyish one.

Maybe she likes him because he doesn't make a big deal about it.

Raleigh stands up and stares at the city at his feet and wonders how long peace will last this time.

Humanity has constantly rebuilt itself from the ashes but each time seems harder and with new enemies.

"Do you miss it?" she asks and he suddenly finds her standing next to him on the ledge of the structure they are working on.

He sighs but nods. "Yeah. A little bit."

"Maybe one day you'll go back," she replies, shrugging one shoulder.

He snickers. "You shouldn't say that. No one wants to go through that again."

"Why not? It feels like we're building this just so something can destroy it again," she said somberly.

"But will build again. And again. As many times as it takes. As we fight, we rise one more time. We survive."

She looked at him and laughed. "Deep but I been working my ass off for the last ten hours, so I really need a beer before listening to that crap. And I think you need one too."

Raleigh chuckled.

Maybe she was right. After a long time of just waiting for the worst, he would forget it and leave fate to do its job – someone would find him and he would be ready to pilot once again.


End file.
